RUMFORD — The Mountain Valley girls’ basketball team played with tenacity when it counted down the stretch Monday afternoon.
It was Katie Puiia who scored six points in the fourth quarter and Sydney Petrie had a game high 13 points as the Falcons tightened their defensive pressure in a 49-42 win against Wiscasset at Puiia Gymnasium. The largest lead by either team was four points for more than 31 minutes.
Mountain Valley has fallen on hard times, dropping three straight, since opening the season with two wins, but this game represented an opportunity to get back on track.
”We talked to the girl’s about playing with composure,” said Mountain Valley coach Ryan Casey, who made eight of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter, after making two of 12 in the first half. ”They tend to tighten up and make mistakes, but we want them to relax and have fun. We made our free throws and turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter. But composure was the key. ”
Mountain Valley (3-3) went on an 8-2 run to take a 45-42 lead with under two minutes left in the game.
Puiia (10 points) and Alecia Faulkingham of Wiscasset each made two free throws. That was precluded by the Falcons scoring three-straight baskets, beginning with Jenna Plourde from in the paint, a Puiia jumper and Karen Flaherty (10 points, five steals) sank a runner.
Wiscasset (1-6) definitely made things interesting by taking a 40-37 lead on a three pointer by Kasey Cromwell (11 points) and a Faulkingham (7 points) jumper midway through the fourth quarter. It proved to be the Wolverines’ final surge as they committed 11 turnovers and fouled frequently in the final period.
”In the fourth quarter we subbed a lot because of being in foul trouble,” Wiscasset coach Pat Quinn said. ”We got caught out of position a few times and (Mountain Valley) was able to take advantage and made some easy baskets.”
The Falcons, who have dropped to Class C, led by three points twice in the third quarter on baskets by Liza White (six points, six rebounds) and Shannon Laubauskas (six points). Wiscasset refused to buckle and tied it at 29-all on a conventional three-point play by Hanna Foye (seven points). Tylon Onorato stole the ball and went coast to coast and Foye added a jumper to give Wiscasset a 35-33 lead after three quarters.
”I felt we did a good job against their zone press,” Quinn said. ”We had some good looks and made some shots from outside. We also was able to stop their back door cuts up to three times, but on the fourth try they got through.”
Briana Gould drained three treys for Wiscasset to take a 15-11 lead after the first quarter.
Petrie scored three times from inside and then grabbed a lead early in the second quarter.
”We feel that we can push the ball,” Casey said. ”What we really want to do is establish an inside-out game, with Sydney Petrie and Jenna Ploude posting up.”
Wiscasset shot 30 percent from the floor and made nine of 19 free throws. Mountain Valley shot 38 percent.
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- Mt. Valley’s Liza White attempts to get the ball to a teammate as she is forced out of bounds by Wiscasset’s Kayla Gordon, right, and Hanna Foye in the first half of their game Monday. The ball was called out of bounds and possession was turned over to Wiscasset.
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- Falcons’ Sydney Petrie is swarmed by Alecia Faulkingham, left, and Hanna Foye, right, over a fight for the ball Monday in Rumford. Petrie kept the ball and took a shot that was knocked off balance by the defense.
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- Shannon Laubauskas goes up against Kayla Gordon for an attempted shot Monday in Rumford. Laubauskas was called for charging and Wiscasset took over the ball.
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- Mt. Valley’s Liza White makes a two-point basket after getting past Wiscasset’s Briana Goud, left, and Kayla Gordon, right, in the first half of their game Monday.
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